Eastern Conference Semifinals Preview: Boston Vs. Miami

When Bulls guard Derrick Rose went down in the first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs with a torn ACL, the path to the Eastern Conference Finals became much easier for the Boston Celtics. Rather than having to get through both Chicago and the Miami Heat, now the Celts only had to find a way to beat Miami.



Well here we are, on the brink of the Eastern Conference Finals as Boston opens up with Game 1 at Miami's American Airlines Arena tomorrow night (8:30 p.m., ESPN). The Celtics haven't made it easy on themselves by any means (which isn't a new trend), slogging through a six-game series against Atlanta in the first round and surviving seven games with Philadelphia in the semifinals.



The Celtics are old, they're banged up and they have to be completely drained. These aren't excuses, they are widely recognized facts. Still, the reason that Boston fans have a sliver of hope in this upcoming series is two-fold: 1) LeBron James might be the best basketball player in the world but he simply can't consistently close in big games against quality opponents. Rather, he turns into a puddle. 2) Kevin Garnett is playing very well and Chris Bosh's status is completely up in the air for the series. I'll also throw in that if he wants to, Rajon Rondo could dominate this series and be the top player that decides the eventual outcome.



I can't really tell you anything about the Heat that you don't already know. They have absolutely no depth and I've never seen an NBA team rely more on three guys (two if Bosh is out) and that's not a good thing. Dwyane Wade was hurt early in the Indiana series but rallied to play out of his mind as they eliminated the Pacers in six games.



Not having Avery Bradley to check Wade could prove to be fatal for the Celtics. All we can hope is that Ray Allen's fourth quarter resurgence last night in Game 7 against the Sixers gives him a little boost of confidence and energy to overcome what has been a terrible postseason for the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history.



Paul Pierce usually does a serviceable job covering LeBron so I'm not too worried about that matchup. LeBron will get his numbers either way. The good news for Boston is that they have more X-factors in the series, meaning guys that could have great games (Brandon Bass style in Game 5 against Philly) out of nowhere.



It's hard to say who needs to have a better series for the C's to win: Rondo or KG. Let's settle for both of them playing about as well as they possibly can. It is going to take a nearly superhuman effort to put away the Heat and Boston will have to steal a game or two (yeah right) in Miami where the Heat are nearly unbeatable.



As I said in the immediate aftermath of winning Game 7 vs. the Sixers, all the pressure will be on Miami. To borrow Bill Simmons' tired cliche, the Celtics are playing with house money at this point. There are only two ways that teams in this situation usually turn out: they quickly fold or they keep the magic going longer than most expected. Needless to say, we're all hoping for the latter. If not for our pleasure, the world doesn't deserve to see the Heat in the NBA Finals for the second straight season.



Game 1-Monday, 8:30 p.m. in Miami

Game 2-Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. in Miami

Game 3-Friday, 8:30 p.m. in Boston

Game 4-Sunday, 8:30 p.m. in Boston



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Celtics Gut Out 85-75 Game 7 Win Vs. Sixers, Bring On Miami

In a series that was extremely ugly from start to finish, the Boston Celtics did just enough to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 85-75 tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden.



Boston is now 21-7 all-time in Game 7s (4-2 in the Big 4 era) and that victory sets up the juicy matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals that we all wanted: Celtics vs. Miami Heat. Now everyone else in the world will be jumping on the Celtics' bandwagon since the Heat are the most hated team in professional sports.



Rajon Rondo (18 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) had his 22nd career triple-double (9th in the playoffs) and take a guess what Boston's record is in those 22 games: 21-1. So yeah, Rondo is somewhat important to their basketball team. It was far from a one-man show since for the first time all postseason every starter scored in double figures. Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Brandon Bass scored 16, Paul Pierce filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and Ray Allen (11 points) came back from the dead to hit a pair of dagger 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.



The Sixers fought the Celtics tooth and nail and they have nothing to be ashamed of since they go home for the summer with the second-most wins (7) ever for a No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs, trailing only the 1999 Knicks that made the NBA Finals. Doug Collins' team plays great defense and is unselfish but they are a consistent scorer away from being a true obstacle in the Eastern Conference in the near future.



Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 18 points, Elton Brand had 15 points and Jrue Holiday put up 15 points, nine assists and five steals. Thaddeus Young pulled down 10 rebounds off the Philly bench which outscored Boston's 17-7.



Rondo essentially saved the Big 4 era by taking over after Pierce fouled out with 4:16 left in regulation and Boston holding a slim 71-68 lead. Rondo scored the next nine points by himself which went layup, long 2-pointer (that was initially called a 3 but he had his foot on the line), rhythm 3-pointer and two free throws. To close out the game he went 4 for 4 from the free throw line and 3 for 3 from the floor. That is Rondo in a nutshell, just when you think you've figured him out (which is impossible), he does something absurd like that. He's the most frustrating yet unstoppable force in the NBA and that I can ever remember on the four Boston teams in my lifetime.



It was tied 20-20 after the first quarter and Boston led 41-33 at halftime. KG's jumper at the buzzer saved the C's from an awful third quarter (outscored 19-14) and gave them a 3-point lead (55-52) heading into the fourth quarter.



In a seven-game series where the Sixers never scored over 92 points, the Celtics saved their best defensive effort for last as they held Philly to a horrid 35.0% shooting from the field while Boston shot 42.5%. The other vital numbers were the Celtics free throw shooting (20 of 22) vs. the Sixers (14 of 20), blocks (6-1) and fastbreak points (14-5). That shows an older team buckling down and seizing the moment with what got them here.



Most will give the Celtics no shot against the Heat and that's the way I want it and they like it. Let Miami have all the pressure, we know how LeBron responds in those type of situations. Obviously with no break and heading to Miami for Game 1 on Monday night (8:30 p.m., ABC), the Heat will be rested and ready to go. All the C's have to do is win a road game (more likely Game 2) and flip the series. It sounds like Chris Bosh will miss the series so that's some good news for Boston.



This is the third time in five seasons (during the Big Four era) that they've made the Eastern Conference Finals. It's also the fourth time in the past five years that they've faced LeBron in the postseason. The Celtics are not scared of the Heat and they went 3-1 against them during the regular season, this is going to be a tougher series than most think.



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